The Mets had Mike Piazza catch the first pitch before last night’s game. They could have used his bat.

After squandering chances to win the game in the ninth and 10th, the Mets finally faltered in the 11th in a 10-6 loss to the Cubs.

Josh Stinson proved to be incapable of throwing a strike that wasn’t drilled in the 11th and the Cubs piled on six runs in that final inning, played in front of the few remaining fans who had nowhere else to go.

The Mets had the bases loaded in the ninth and 10th, but failed to score both times before their bullpen imploded in the 11th, which didn’t elicit many memories of Piazza’s famous homer on Sept. 21, 2001, the first game back at Shea Stadium after the 9/11 attacks.

“We had the guys at home plate we wanted at home plate several times,” manager Terry Collins said of failed chances by Jose Reyes, David Wright and Jason Bay, among others, as the Mets used a franchise-record 26 players in one game. “We just didn’t get it done.”

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Johan Santana could make another rehab start with Class-A Savannah on Thursday.

“That looks like his next option,” Collins said.

Santana is expected to throw a side session today, after playing catch yesterday, throwing at 90 feet.

If all goes well over the next few days, the lefty would be back on the mound on Thursday, likely with a four-inning limit.

“I would imagine that would be the maximum,” Collins said of Santana and his recovery from shoulder surgery that was performed a year ago Wednesday.

“He’s going to throw his side session [today].”

Savannah advanced to the best-of-five finals of the South Atlantic League championships, allowing Santana to continue to pitch in competitive games as the minor league season winds down. The Mets haven’t ruled out the possibility of Santana returning to the majors before the end of the season to pitch in a game if he doesn’t suffer any setbacks.

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The hats the Mets wore during last night’s pregame ceremony were signed before the game and will be auctioned off on mets.com/gameused, with the proceeds distributed to various 9/11 charities.